Mass shooting by suspected Islamist extremists at Bondi Beach

Absolutely must do more to protect our Jewish communities. It's awful they feel such ongoing anxieties.

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Thanks Box I hadn't seen that. Arabic name then not Muslim.

theworriedwell

Was the man who wrestled the gun off one of the terrorists a Muslim? His name sounds like he probably is.

Looks like yes. here are snippets of news on the hero updated 35 mins ago

"The parents of a "hero" bystander who wrestled a gun from one of the Bondi Beach attackers have said they are praying he recovers from his wounds.
Video verified by the BBC showed Ahmed al Ahmed, 43, running at the gunman and seizing his weapon, before turning the gun round on him and forcing his retreat.
His cousin said Mr Ahmed had since undergone surgery for gunshot wounds to his arm and hand, while his mother told local media: "We pray that God saves him."

His parents told the Australian Broadcasting Corporation that he had been shot four or five times
His father said, external Mr Ahmed *wasn't thinking about the background of the people he's saving, the people dying in the street
He doesn't discriminate between one nationality and another. Especially here in Australia, there's no difference between one citizen and another

theworriedwell

Was the man who wrestled the gun off one of the terrorists a Muslim? His name sounds like he probably is.

He is of an Arabic Christian order.

The latest news suggests the murderers were in allegiance to Islamic State. This massacre of innocent civilians mirrors the murderous October attack by Hamas, both attacks on leisure activities. We must do more to protect Jewish communities and suppress those who would attack them.

Was the man who wrestled the gun off one of the terrorists a Muslim? His name sounds like he probably is.

nanna8 I am so distressed for you x

nanna8

I agree. Just pull your head in for once. It is a hard time and especially for those of us with Jewish family members.

nanna8 a sad time for Australia, we all feel for you.

Casdon

Everything I can find online suggests it was the son who had been investigated for potential ISIS links Allira, but I’d be keen to see what you saw regarding the father, because that does change the complexion somewhat?
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/crime/bondi-beach-shooting-live-suspects-akram-sydney-australia-news-b2884412.html

Apologies, Casdon, I posted underneath that it was the son.
He is in hospital under police guard.

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That was meant for Wyllow

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Everything I can find online suggests it was the son who had been investigated for potential ISIS links Allira, but I’d be keen to see what you saw regarding the father, because that does change the complexion somewhat?
www.independent.co.uk/news/world/crime/bondi-beach-shooting-live-suspects-akram-sydney-australia-news-b2884412.html

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the father, I believe, was known to ASIO
No, it was the son who is still alive but under police guard in hospital.

I’m sure they will learn from this and tighten up the gun laws, but I don’t think we should be too harsh on the police.

The gun laws are very strict anyway and the father, I believe, was known to ASIO.

One of the Bondi Beach gunmen came to the attention of Australia's domestic intelligence agency six years ago for his close ties to a Sydney-based Islamic State (IS) terrorism cell, the ABC understands.
ABC News

I do think there are questions to answer.

The guns were owned by the father, who had possessed a gun licence for over 10 years. The son was the ISIS sympathiser as I understand it, but was not thought to pose a threat, and they didn’t live at the same address. In fairness to the police, they would have to put two and two together to make five to recognise the risk. I’m sure they will learn from this and tighten up the gun laws, but I don’t think we should be too harsh on the police.

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"We turn to gun violence generally as well, which as to be a concern in every country as regards "who can get hold of guns"

In the USA it's possible to wander into a shop and buy whatever type of gun you wish as the right to bear arms is written into the Constitution.

The gun laws in Australia are very strict after what happened at Port Arthur. How this man was able to hold a gun licence and own six rifles will need to be the subject of an investigation.

ronib

But we are not the people living in Israel. Why do we presume to know that a two state solution is a just solution? We don’t live with the consequences of our interference into another far away place.

It's the international communities' "best option" when both sides want to claim "from the river to the sea", Ronib. Have you a better one?

I remember antisemitism from when I was a teenager in the 60s. It's not new but now it is accompanied by violence.
I despair of humanity. In thousands of years we haven't learned to accept each other for what we are and live in peace and harmony.
What a beautiful world that would be.

Because we don't yet know the specific motivations of those two men, we haven't mentioned the "G word". But world wide there can be little doubt that by many, including myself, that the waves of anti semitism we see are at least in part caused by policies as regards Gaza and the situation people living there find themselves in.

I do indeed have the concern that as long as the situation remains as it is, we shall see a rise in anti semitism.

It's not reasonable, it's not acceptable: it's completely wrong, that what is happening in Gaza leads to attacks on very ordinary people just going about their everyday lives - it is indefensible in that regard. but it is a factor we cant ignore in discussions.

We turn to gun violence generally as well, which as to be a concern in every country as regards "who can get hold of guns"
.In the USA, just in December alone,

"A shooting at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island that left two people dead and nine wounded.
A shooting at a children's birthday party in California where three children were among four killed.

it is happening in the USA now - so ubiquitously - that it now goes unremarked in our news (I did catch a brief report, which is why I looked it up). and the current regime in the USA's answer is "get more guns to protect yourself".

Back to Australia - we now need to know the details of the attack in terms of specific motivations - why them, why now.

But we are not the people living in Israel. Why do we presume to know that a two state solution is a just solution? We don’t live with the consequences of our interference into another far away place.

TerriBull

I'm just pondering on how an ordinary citizen can get hold of a semi automatic killing machine, unless through some dubious source.

What a terrible day for the Jewish community in Australia and in the wider sense,how these awful events resonate world wide in the escalating fear as to what will crop up next.

That brave man of Arabic origin, whose act of bravery was was so magnificent should be applauded. That Bonnie Tyler song "I need a hero" was humming away in my head when I read about him.

That brave man of Arabic origin, whose act of bravery was was so magnificent should be applauded. That Bonnie Tyler song "I need a hero" was humming away in my head when I read about him.

Quite extraordinary! We need more like him in the world.

He is recovering from surgery, I do hope he will be all right.

Wyllow3

I would just say, Freya that asking for a two state solution, which is supported widely the world over, is *not" supporting Hamas in any way.

Not overtly but obliquely.